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Used BMW 4 Series (Mk1, 2014-2020) review - What do owners think? 

BMWs are usually well made and very safe, but long-term reliability is on shakier ground

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BMW 4 Series owners tend to fall into one of two camps: private or company. The latter is likely to choose a diesel engine for pounding Britain’s motorways, while private buyers might opt for one of the excellent petrol engines. Owners rate the car for its connectivity and low running costs, but are less satisfied with the reliability and exterior finish. Be wary when buying a low-mileage 4 Series diesel, as future DPF issues could be on the cards. Indeed, you should opt for a petrol version if you intend to spend most of your time on short trips.

Reliability

The 4 Series finished in 54th place (out of the 75 cars ranked) in our 2018 Driver Power satisfaction survey, which is a considerable fall from its position in 2015, where it came 19th. That said, the 4 Series is growing older, so you would expect it to lose places to newer, more modern cars.

BMW as a whole finished 21st out of the 26 manufacturers which ranked. Putting it above Vauxhall, Fiat and Citroen, but below Audi, Volvo and Jaguar.

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In our latest 2021 survey, the BMW 4 Series finished 56th out of 75 cars, while BMW finished a disappointing 21st out of 29 cars on the list of manufacturers. A warm welcome and excellent service are two things you can’t guarantee at a BMW dealer.

Tell us about your car in the Driver Power survey...

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Senior test editor

Dean has been part of the Auto Express team for more than 20 years, and has worked across nearly all departments, starting on magazine production, then moving to road tests and reviews. He's our resident van expert, but covers everything from scooters and motorbikes to supercars and consumer products.

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